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Graeme: Returning to paramagnetism in agriculture, we always push the paramount importance of calcium in the fertili- ty equation. What is the relationship between paramagnetic response and calcium levels? Phil: Well, calcium is the most important nutrient, and you won't get a good response from paramagnetic rock dusts if you have ignored your calcium. Nutrients in general won't be avail- able if you don't have enough calcium. Paramagnetism is not a substitute for nutrition. It is something extra. Graeme: One more question about "living with weeds", because they are a major problem on both biological and con- ventional farms. You suggest that there is an optimum weed population. What is that optimum and how is it achieved? Phil: Well, I think what should happen with weeds was best illustrated by Phil Wheeler in his address today. He said, "I fer- tilise for the plants and not the weeds." If you have weeds growing as high as your corn, then you have not been fertilising correctly. If the crop is thriving with the right inputs, it will always outperform the weeds. Motor vehicles and aeroplanes are far more dangerous than most of my adventures. Almost every member of my family has had serious car accidents; I've had two. The whole family has recently been involved nursing my wife who is just recovering from being hit by a truck; it was her second serious accident. It was a great experience with the headhunters; I might write a book about it some day. Graeme: You've had 17 books published to date. Are you working on anything at present? Phil: Yes, actually I consider it pretty important. I'm doing a handbook on paramagnetism. The first part will explain what volcanoes do; the second part will describe erosion—good ero- sion—where paramagnetic earth goes down to the rivers. Then T'll explain why you need it in the soil. Part two will contain simple experiments with earthworms and nitrogen nodules on roots, with different chemicals. It will be a simple handbook which should clarify paramagnetism for many farmers. Graeme: Are you familiar with the American researcher Bruce Tainio? He has pioneered the concept of monitoring the pH of leaf sap as a guide to plant health and nutrient requirements. Dhile NAT hawan't han sf hi ANCIENT TRADITIONS, MODERN RESEARCH pH of leaf sap as a guide to plant health and nutrient Graeme: There seems to be a tendency in eco-agriculture to requirements. compare some of the concepts to the Phil: No, I haven't heard of his ancient Chinese philosophy of yin work. and yang. Arden Andersen likens Graeme: Well, apparently he growth energies versus reproductive has also been researching para- energies to the yin-yang concept, magnetism. I hear that he has been and you make similar suggestions Boral has found that crushing pin paramagnetic or paramagnetism and diamagnet- F A material with a ball roller to reduce ism. Is there common ground paramagnetic materials it to the finest powder. This pow- etween these ideas? increase water-holding der, when applied in tiny applica- Phil: Absolutely. I once tions, has increased micro-organ- photocopied many sections from 15 capacity by 50%. ism counts by over 300%. This volumes I borrowed from the USDA brings me to my next question. Library, which covered the link with How important is particle size ancient Chinese philosophy, science when applying paramagnetic mate- and religion. The old dowsers used rials to the soil? to look for the right place to build a Phil: Well, from a practical ouse. They were dowsing places that were highly standpoint, dust is hard to work with. In the lab it may be paramagnetic. relevant, but in the field we've had better results with coarser Actually, while I was in Australia last time, I was talking material. about Ayer's Rock with an Aboriginal man. I mentioned that it Graeme: In our case, we would usually mix the dust with was a sacred place, but he informed me that the rock was actu- other materials to avoid this problem. ally a meeting place, because it could be seen for miles around. Phil: Well, if you're mixing fine dust with compost, I think The actual sacred place is 30 miles from there. I can't remem- you would be better off. Whatever you do, it's best that the ber the name of the area. When I got to Ayer's Rock, I mea- material be "disced in", otherwise there is the possibility of sured it and it only measured 30 or 40 cgs. When I went to encouraging shallow roots. their sacred place, it measured 5,000 cgs! Graeme: You certainly have a great love for travel and WATER AND PARAMAGNETISM adventure. Has age tempered this passion at all? Graeme: We've also found a difference in readings between Phil: People have a strange idea about age. Five years ago, wet and dry soils. at 70, I decided to find a place where nobody had ever been, so Phil: Yes, that would be right. Water is diamagnetic. I'll tell I found 25,000 square miles on the Amazon, which the you something important about water and paramagnetism. Peruvians would never enter. It was controlled by a headhunt- Rainfall records show that in the American Midwest they have ing tribe with a vicious reputation. The Peruvian government had 12 inches of rainfall every year for the past 100 years. There rented me an army plane; I guess they wanted to see what were never droughts prior to World War II, but now they are would happen. I flew in with a friend of mine. The pilot commonplace. They are still getting the same water. So what's dropped us off and I said, "Don't forget to pick us up in three changed? Fifty to 60 years ago, average paramagnetic levels in weeks." those soils were 300 to 400; now they are always below 100 cgs. I walked in and found the headhunting tribe and lived with The results I've just received from the Australian company them for three weeks. There was no problem. The key is to go Boral, which is working with these concepts, confirm the reason. in smiling. If you go in unarmed and not speaking their lan- Boral has found that paramagnetic materials increase water- guage but with a big smile on your face, they are fascinated. holding capacity by 50%. It's like bringing them a new TV. Pretty soon they're calling The point is that the paramagnetic force can and will erode you "Uncle". We were almost killed in the plane going in. over time. Modern farming techniques speed that erosion. It's paramagnetic materials increase water-holding aa ate Le. maa WATER AND PARAMAGNETISM Graeme: We've also found a difference in readings between wet and dry soils. Phil: Yes, that would be right. Water is diamagnetic. I'll tell you something important about water and paramagnetism. Rainfall records show that in the American Midwest they have had 12 inches of rainfall every year for the past 100 years. There were never droughts prior to World War II, but now they are commonplace. They are still getting the same water. So what's changed? Fifty to 60 years ago, average paramagnetic levels in those soils were 300 to 400; now they are always below 100 cgs. The results I've just received from the Australian company Boral, which is working with these concepts, confirm the reason. Boral has found that paramagnetic materials increase water- holding capacity by 50%. The point is that the paramagnetic force can and will erode over time. Modern farming techniques speed that erosion. It's NEXUS = 39 Boral has found that capacity by 50%. FEBRUARY — MARCH 2003 www.nexusmagazine.com